


Critical Role: Relationship Week

by TheBatchild



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, hahahaha, relationship week, these are all really short and I'm already behind
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-07
Updated: 2017-02-17
Packaged: 2018-09-22 17:55:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9618698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBatchild/pseuds/TheBatchild
Summary: I rolled some interesting pairings, some pairings I'm excited about, and two I have no idea how I'm going to write.This is going to be fun.To clarify, these are the pairings I rolled:1 — Kima & Gilmore2 — Zahra & Kashaw3 — Scanlan & Trinket4 — Allura & Jarett5 — Cassandra & Percy6 — Grog & Pike7 — Percy & Vex





	1. Lady Kima of Vord & Shaun Gilmore

“Hey, magic man!” 

Kima strode down the main street of Whitestone, her armour shining cheerfully in the sunlight and her expression doing anything but. Shaun Gilmore turned, his purple robe swirling a bit in the breeze and, instead of sighing as he wished, he smiled. 

“What can I do for you, Lady Kima?” he asked as she drew near enough for him not to yell. 

Her brows drew into a deep vee in the centre of her forehead as the halfling glared up at him, her hands on her hips, armour clinking slightly as she moved; there wasn’t any immediate threat, but the only time Gilmore had seen the paladin out of her armour and relaxed was at night in the castle, right before she retired for the evening, or in the morning right after she awoke. Always vigilant, that one. 

“What you can do is your fair share!” she snapped. “Allie is up in the castle right now, barely able to stand up because of all the energy she expended! I thought the two of you were supposed to be sharing the load of warding this sorry excuse for a town—”

“Lady Kima,” Gilmore said in a firm voice, cutting her off without question. “I am sorry that Lady Allura is weakened, but these wards are taking their toll on the both of us, I assure you. If it makes you feel any better, I will just as bone-weary as she is now at the end of the day. It has been far too long since I had a good rest,” he added with a wistful sigh.

“I—”

He noticed the slight flush to her cheeks and knew it was embarrassment rather than anger, though there might have been some of that too. The halfling _was_ feisty. “Do not fret, Lady Kima. I wish I had someone who cared about my well-being the way you care about Lady Allura’s.” He raised his eyebrows and gave her a small smile. “She will recover after some rest and sustenance.” 

Kima’s eyes dropped to the ground, but just for the briefest of seconds. When she met Gilmore’s gaze again, he could see the concern there and his heart went out to her. “She just seems so much more tired than she has before and… there’s nothing really I can do.”

Gilmore placed a hand on her shoulder. Her armour was cold and the gesture might have been more impactful if he could touch _her_ , but it would have to do. “How about I come and check on her as soon as I’m done with the wards?”

“If you have the time,” Kima started, her cheeks flushing again, “I would… appreciate that.”

“It’s not a problem, my dear.” Gilmore smiled at her warmly. “You really love her.” It wasn’t a new realization, but it always took him by surprise when he saw the depth of the emotion between the two women. It was a rare thing.

“Yes,” she replied quietly. 


	2. Zahra Hydris/Kashaw Vesh

Fire giants. Fucking fire giants. 

And they’d let Vox Machina run off to fight Thordak. It was war, granted, and they were probably the best option for taking out the Cinder King—the only option. But Zahra would be lying if she said she hadn’t hoped her and Kashaw would be involved in the final confrontation. She hadn’t even be able to give Vex the dragon-slaying arrow she’d made face-to-face; she’d had to slip it into the half-elf’s quiver and hope the hastily scrawled note stayed in place.

Not that Vex wouldn’t know who it was from. But Zahra liked knowing Vex might see that note in the middle of combat and be a little bolstered by it.

“Hey, Z! Head out of the clouds!”

The tiefling gave her head a small shake, refocusing on the battle; a battle that looked like it was drawing to a close. At least that included her and Kashaw. “Kash, they’re over the wall! If we want to live to see tomorrow, I suggest we find a way out of this.”

Neither of them was delusional enough to think they could take down two fire giants without further assistance. They were holding their own, but she was running out of magic and Kash wasn’t far behind. She could see his shoulders moving as he breathed heavily, felt hers moving the same, heard her heart pounding in her ears. The giant currently facing Kash, the one they’d been focused on, was on its knees now, blood streaming from its wounds. With a flourish, Kash finished him off, the other giant giving a bellow and taking a step closer to them; they’d managed to put some distance between them and the second creature, buying time.

They shared a look and then ran straight toward the giant, ducking under it’s club and heading into the city behind it.

With a roar of frustration, the giant turned to lumber after them, moving much faster than one would have thought possible given its size. The tiefling and the human pushed themselves on, a wild whoop of laughter escaping Kash’s throat as they ducked through a plume of thick black smoke and turned down a shadowed alley, tucking themselves into the farthest corner, Zahra sliding slightly in the ash as she moved.

Kash hooked an arm around her waist, steadying her. She leaned into him and he put his forehead against hers as they waited to see if the fire giant would go past their hiding place or if it was smarter than they thought.

The seconds ticked by slowly, the sound of their breaths in that alley echoing loudly in her ears. She let Kash hold her close, his arm tight against her back, their gazes locked. Finally, they heard the fire giant’s heavy footsteps as it ran by, continuing farther into the city.

They remained still for a few heartbeats longer.

“Want to go wreak some more havoc, darling?“ she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“All right.” Zahra stepped back, and Kash dropped a quick kiss on her forehead. She felt his healing energy spread through her, some of her wounds knitting together. “But no more fire giants.”


	3. Scanlan Shorthalt & Trinket

Scanlan wasn’t overly fond of Trinket—he smelled bad, was noisy, and wasn’t of much use, though that was mostly Vex’s fault, since she was afraid of her bear getting hurt—but that wasn’t a secret. Even Trinket seemed to pick up on the dislike, since eventually he stopped trying to get Scanlan’s affection. When the bear was out of Vex’s weird necklace and walking with the group, he stuck close to Vex. Maybe nudged Vax or Grog, but stuck mostly with his owner. 

Sometimes though, the bear would wander over to the gnome and nose around, ruffling Scanlan’s hair and getting snot on his clothes, hoping for a scratch or a rub. 

When Scanlan was sure no one was looking, he might oblige the big bear, but only if he was sure no one would see. He wasn’t fond of Trinket, but he didn’t exactly hate him, either. He could give him a scratch or two now and then. 

As long as no one saw.

One night, during a rare period of walking, Vox Machina found themselves asleep around a dying fire. The night was chilly and the wind had a bit of a bite to it. Vex had curled up against Grog’s back and Pike was nearly invisible in his arms. Percy had wrapped himself in his coat and was lying as close to the fire as was safe; maybe a little closer. Vax was close to his sister, their foreheads touching. Keyleth’s back was to Percy’s and she’d curled into a tight ball. Trinket was a massive black shape at Vex’s feet, beyond the dim circle of firelight. 

Scanlan had started the night warm enough, but as the fire died, his small body cooled rapidly and he woke shivering. He looked blurrily around in the dim light. He spotted the bear, a free source of warmth and, after assuring himself that everyone was deeply asleep—deep breaths and loud snoring from Grog and Pike were his biggest clues—Scanlan crept silently through the shadows until he felt the heat of Trinket’s breath. And smelled it. 

Suppressing a groan, Scanlan curled against Trinket’s chest. The beast was warm, all right. As Trinket wrapped a heavy arm around Scanlan, he was almost too warm. 

“Don’t get used to this,” Scanlan whispered. “I’m just using you for your warmth.”

Trinket grumbled and hugged him tighter. 


	4. Lady Allura Vysoren & Jarett Howarth

When the noise woke Jarett, he was slumped against a stone wall, a barrel beneath him and a sharp corner sticking into his back. At first, still in the grip of sleep, he didn’t realize what had awoken him, but after a moment, as his eyes adjusted to the late-evening gloom, he saw a tall, regal-looking woman standing nearby.

“Lady Allura,” he said, getting to his feet so fast that he nearly fell down again. He couldn’t remember if he was supposed to be on duty, but if he was, he certainly didn’t want to caught sleeping by someone of Lady Allura’s rank.

She favoured him with a small smile, the dim light from a nearby lantern catching her blonde hair. “No need to fret, Jarett.” He wasn’t surprised that she knew his name, but that she did made him feel more a part of whatever was being built here in Whitestone. “I was just doing a last check of the wards before turning in for the night. Are you all right?” she asked suddenly, her brow creased with concern.

“Oh, I’m fine,” Jarett answered with his characteristic ease. “Just… I seem to be having trouble sleeping having the battle with Thordak, and I keep falling asleep in the oddest of places.” He glanced at the barrel over his shoulder and heard Allura chuckle as he did. “It was… I wasn’t prepared for that fight,” he admitted. He wasn’t exactly sure _why_ , but there was something about Lady Allura that put him—and others, he knew—at ease; she’d done so well at keeping Whitestone safe, it was hard not to feel comfortable around her. 

Her smiled shifted to a softer, knowing expression. “Fighting a dragon like Thordak—fighting Thordak—is not something one can prepare for, I’m afraid. He was formidable when we fought him years ago, and he was even more so now. From what I’ve heard though, you held your own.”

Jarett couldn’t help the snort. “I survived, and am glad to say so. Seeing Vox Machina in their element like that, though… Well, I think I’ll stick to guarding castles and training new recruits from now on.”

“If that is what you wish, I know an experienced hand will not be turned away here. With only one member left of the Conclave, I suspect the rebuilding effort will be renewed.”

“You are set to face Raishan with Vox Machina, are you not?”

“Yes. We leave in the morning. The others are getting some much needed rest.”

“Why aren’t you resting, my lady? If I can ask. Glimore could have checked the wards, could he not?”

Her expression now was an odd combination of wistful, scared, and excited. She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “I believe Gilmore has already checked the wards… I was having trouble sleeping, as well. It has been some time since I was an adventurer, and even though I will have Kima by my side… I am finding a lot more difficult to step into that role than I once did.”

Jarett smiled in response and squeezed Allura’s shoulder before he’d really thought the action through—he really needed a decent sleep. He bypassed the potential awkwardness and said, “There is no better company than Vox Machina when you’re fighting a dragon. They may be, err… unorthodox in much of what they do, but they don’t leave anyone behind and they don’t rest until the job is done.”

“Thank you, Jarett.” She gave him another friendly smile. “You should try and get some sleep.”

“You should too, Lady Allura. Good night.” 

He bowed before heading off toward the barracks. He would try to sleep, but he knew he would dream of the battle again. It had been exciting and terrifying and he never wanted to experience the like again. Hopefully, he’d sleep through the night though, and then maybe tomorrow, the memories wouldn’t be so fresh.


	5. Cassandra de Rolo & Percy de Rolo

Percy didn’t like that he and Cassandra had space between them; and it wasn’t a small space, either. It was cavernous. 

Granted, there hadn’t been a lot of time since they’re reunion for Percy and his younger sister to bond, but given that he had never expected to see any member of his family again… well, the space between them was a great shame, and it was something he felt stronger every time he looked at or spoke to Cassandra. 

They were both extraordinarily mature about the whole thing, of course. That’s how de Rolos _were_. But he could see the pain in her eyes and wished there was something he could do to erase it, to be the support she probably desperately needed. Kidnapped, brainwashed (to an extent), and then left to rule a broken kingdom alone… 

“Percy, you’re doing it again.”

Cassandra’s voice—quiet but firm—broke through his thoughts, pulling him back to reality. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—doing what?” he asked, suddenly realizing he wasn’t exactly sure to what she was referring. There were a great many things on that potential list, after all.

“You’re looking at me like I’m a wounded dog.” There was no judgement in her voice, just the ever-present weariness and maybe a little bit of annoyance. 

After all, she wasn’t a little girl anymore, despite how Percy might have felt.

“I’m sorry, Cassandra. I was just thinking—”

“The same thing you’re always thinking when you look at me like that: that you wish you could be here, that you wish you could fill the space between us, that you wish I didn’t have to rule alone.” Cassandra drained the remainder of her tea and set the delicate-looking cup down with a definitive click. “I will tell you what I have told you before, brother. I’m not exactly ruling Whitestone alone, and you were the one who insisted there be a council to help me. And, I think we’re doing a pretty good job of it.”

“You certainly are.”

The smallest flicker of pride crossed her features. “And while it would be nice to have you around to help rebuild our home, you and Vox Machina have far more important things to worry about, like saving cities and counties and, once you stop Raishan, the world.” She leaned across the table where they were sharing a cup of tea before bed—one of the few moments they’d managed to find alone—and some of her dark hair fell across her eyes. “Once that’s done, maybe you can come home and maybe we can get rid of that space, but please believe me when I say I understand why you’re not here.” A small, sad smile took root on her lips. It even reached her eyes. “I hope you can come back one day though. It would be nice to have my big brother back again.”

Percy’s chest felt tight and there was a slight burn behind his eyes, a burn that felt all too familiar as of late. “I would very much like to fill that roll again, once I am worthy of it.” He cleared his throat as emotion threatened to overwhelm him. He did _not_ sob in front of people. “I am very proud of you and what you’ve done, Cassandra, and I’m so glad we have a chance, however distant it might be.”

She sat back in her chair, turning her head slightly so she could gaze out the window at the city below, slowly clawing its way back from near desolation. “Me too, Percy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am not typing out his full name. No.


	6. Grog Strongjaw & Pike Trickfoot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SPOILERS FOR EPISODE 85 IN THIS MOMENT
> 
> YOU HAVE YOUR FAIR WARNING

Grog was sitting at the bar, staring into a massive mug of ale when Pike found him. The scene itself wasn’t that unusual, but she’d expected not to find him at all and, if she did, she’d expected him to be incomprehensibly drunk. She planned to spend the next few hours getting to that point herself. Maybe that would ease the ache in her chest. 

_Doubtful,_ she told herself. But she had to do something, and she knew chasing after Scanlan wasn’t an option. And Vax wanted to get drunk. It seemed like the best option, especially since everyone else had wandered off into the castle. _Scanlan has to do this. Scanlan needs this_ , she reminded herself for about the hundredth time as the half-elf wandered off to find them a secluded table.

With a sigh, the gnome climbed onto the empty stool beside her friend and placed her tiny hand on his arm. At the contact, Grog seemed to deflate. That made the ache inside worse; Pike had never seen him like this. There wasn’t much that affected Grog and even less that made him emotional. For a moment, they sat in silence, Pike raising a hand to order a drink when the bartender caught her eye. She ordered another one for Grog, too.

“He didn’t remember my song,” Grog said. His voice was quiet and came out mumbled, like he couldn’t open his mouth wide enough to let the words form fully. “Why didn’t he remember my song, Pike?”

“I don’t know, Grog.” She rubbed his arm, anger beginning to tinge the pain of loss inside. “I… I think it works differently for everyone on the other side. I didn’t hear anything, but I felt everything.”

He didn’t appear to have heard. “Was it not the right thing to do? Should I have sung it louder? Or did it not matter like your poem and Kaylie’s song? DO I not mean as much as the others to Scanlan?”

“Oh Grog…” Pike rubbed his arm again and leaned her forehead against him. 

“Did I do it wrong?”

“Oh, no, Grog. No.” Pike wrapped her arms around Grog’s muscled limb, unable to reach his neck. “You did perfectly. Scanlan’s alive and you helped bring him back. I don’t know why he didn’t remember your song, but your love helped him find his way back.” She squeezed his arm. “He loves you, Grog.”

“But he’s gone…”

As it had in the room at the castle, the emotion in Grog’s voice hurt Pike in a way she couldn’t vocalize. “I know…” Against her will, tears stung her eyes again. She’d just stopped crying, didn’t want to start again. She put her forehead against Grog’s arm and squeezed her eyes shut. 

Grog placed a giant hand on the back of her head as gently as he could. Pike felt tears sliding down her cheeks and a small sob escaped her lips. 

“C’mon Pickle, I got us drinks…” Vax’s voice—forced full of enthusiasm—died when he came upon the scene. Without hesitation, he wrapped an arm around the gnome and placed a hand on Grog’s back. 

A long moment passed where three members of Vox Machina mourned the departure of their friend, their brother, their bard. Vax pulled away after clapping Grog on the back, and then Pike pulled back from the goliath, wuping her cheeks. Grog sniffed loudly and drained the mug of ale on the bar in front of him. 

“Are you going… somewhere, or are you joining us for a drink?” Pike asked. 

Grog gestured with his mug at a building Pike could see through the front window. “I’m going.”

Pike made herself smile at Grog. She was hurting, yes, but she didn’t like seeing Grog—usually so strong and durable—so vulnerable. So… raw. Shakily, she stood on the bar stool so she could put a hand on either of Grog’s cheeks and look him in the eye. 

“Scanlan needs time, Grog, but he’s alive. We need to focus on that. He’s alive and he’s getting to know his daughter. He needs this and we can give it to him. He loves you. He’s just mad and confused and scared.” She kissed his forehead and Grog held her steady when she wobbled. “We’re all here, together. We’ll get through this.”

“I know,” Grog mumbled. “I just wish it didn’t hurt so much.”

“Me too, Grog.”


	7. Vex'ahlia/Percy de Rolo

It seemed there weren’t many moments of peace anymore. Or, at least, there hadn’t been since the Conclave had first swept down on Emon what seemed like a lifetime ago. 

Vex certainly felt different than she had when it had all begun; it didn’t even feel like it was over, even though the dragons were dead and Scanlan was alive… And gone. She still felt tightly wound, like she was preparing for the next thing, the next winged shadow to swoop down, and—she’d never admit this to anyone else, not even Vax—she found herself searching for any sign of any dragons often, almost as if it was an unconscious response. But there were no more dragons in the Conclave. 

They were safe, for now.

With a heavy sigh, she stopped walking and dropped into the longish grass. The half-elf, unable to sleep after Scanlan’s departure and the rough afternoon of trying to accept his choice, had dressed in just her tunic and breeches and, bow and a few arrows in hand, just in case, taken a walk to the less-travelled areas around Castle Whitestone, looking for a little peace and quiet. 

She’d found this place a while ago, after the Briarwoods had been taken care of and Whitestone had returned to the de Rolo family. It was a patch of grass surrounded by scrubby trees and rocks, but it was always empty, and at night she could get an excellent view of the stars. 

Trinket, who’d awoken from his spot on the floor as soon as she’d gotten up and dressed, lumbered over and settled into the grass behind her, in the perfect position for her to recline against as she stared upward. Vex placed Fenthris and her arrows next to her leg and crossed her ankles as she leaned back, reaching up with one hand to twist her fingers into Trinket’s fur. He gave a low rumble in response, shifting a bit to get comfortable. 

“Ah, Buddy,” she whispered. “I’m glad you made it out of everything okay. It was scary a few times, yeah?” He rumbled again. Vex scratched one of his ears. “Things are changing. Who knows what’s coming?”

A rock skittered across the ground behind her, startling Vex. Smoothly, she knocked an arrow and drew Fenthris’s string back to her cheek, aiming at whoever was approaching. She stopped, huffed, when she saw it was Percy, hair a mess from sleep. Like her, he was dressed simply, grabbing whatever clothes he could find before leaving; he’d put on shoes though, unlike Vex. With another sigh, she dropped back against Trinket, and felt the bear’s muscles relax behind her. He calmed as she did. 

“I didn’t mean to startle you,” Percy said quietly as he settled on the ground beside her. Trinket made a noise that sounded almost annoyed, but remained still and let Percy settled against him. “I was… a little worried when you didn’t come back to bed.”

“Sorry.” Vex leaned her head on his shoulder and returned Fenthris to the ground, within easy reach. She inhaled a deep breath and exhaled slow, finding calm. They were safe. “I… I’ve been having trouble relaxing.” 

“I’ve noticed.” He slipped an arm around her waist, his fingers on her hip, and gave her a small hug. “It’s hard to accept that it’s done, isn’t it? We’ve been hunting those damn dragons for so long…”

“Longer than we’ve done anything else.”

“You are not wrong about that.” She felt Percy put his lips against her head. He was smiling. “I find it easier if you think of all that has come of the destruction of the Conclave.”

“I am so glad you didn’t say ‘think of the good.’”

“Well, there has been some, and that’s part of it, but I would never say that. There was too much bad. But new bonds have formed. We have new allies and new doors are opened to us now. And, perhaps it’s a little egotistical, but I like to think that we’ll have a say, even indirectly, in how Emon is rebuilt, and how the world recovers from the Conclave.”

Vex chuckled as she snuggled a little closer to Percy. The heat from him and Trinket was lulling her back towards sleep. “You are a little egotistical, darling.”

“I know,” he replied, sleep heavy in his own voice. 

They were quiet for a moment, then Vex shifted so she could look Percy in the eye. She’d been dealing with a deep well of emotion since the fight with Raishan, and had been struggling to put those feelings into words. But she should tell him. “I’m glad you’re alive, Percy. That you came back to us again. I… I am not sure how I would have managed if you… hadn’t. I don’t know if I want to face a world without you in it. I don’t know if I could,” she added with a low chuckle. 

He cupped one cheek with his hand, his thumb tracing a line under her eye. “Darling, I have no doubt you could, and that you would thrive. You are strong enough to adapt to and survive anything.” He brushed a kiss across her brow. “But, let’s hope neither of us has to find out what would happen, shall we? I would rather focus on having you here and on being alive.” His lips touched the tip of her nose and then her lips, barely. 

“You have a way with words,” Vex breathed. “But if you die again and don’t come back, I will find a way to wherever you are and drag your spirit back to your body, help from the gods or no.”

She could see a faint flush in his cheeks, but there was a now-familiar and welcome darkness in his eyes as he said, “I would expect nothing less.”

He kissed her deeply then, a slow and thorough expression. Vex returned it, melting into his embrace. Trinket grumbled and they parted, laughing as they settled back to stare up at the stares. Vex felt relaxed then, and when she finally fell asleep, Percy laid her gently on Trinket’s back, and they headed back into the castle.


End file.
